Advertisement-displaying mechanism



March 9 1926.

L. MGDOMALD ADVERTlSMENT DISPLAYING MECHANISM Filed Dee.

21, 1922 4 srhets=sheet 1 March 9 1926.

. L. R. MCDQNALD ADVERTISEMENT DISPLAYING MEcHANsM Filed Deck 2l, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 y Suona/6oz 06mm Z Z, ww au.

March 9 1926.

1,576,200 L. R. MCDONALD ADVERTISEMENT DISPLAYING MECHANISM Filed Deo. 2l, 1922 4 Sheets sheet 3 E 5E. H f. c y ONT/(ft Z Th- 32 Y y. I; Y 9 :1 9] 7 E A U To @A T j T0 30/ 5 2 .9 ,90 1; .9 2: NCDO A L D S l I/ /QT/S/WVT flfwefwffc'.

March 9 192s. 1,576,200 Y L. R. MCDONALD ADVIEIRTISENIENT- DISPLAYING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 21, 1922 4 Sheetsheet 4 l Patented Mar. 9, 1926.

`VILESIILIE R. MGDONALD, OF MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA.

ADVERTISEMENT-DISPLAYING MECHANISM.

Aapplication flied December 21,1922. seriaiNo. 608,208. y y

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, LESLIE R. MCDONALD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Montreal, Province of Quebec,Dominion of .5 Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Advertisement-Displaying Mechanisms, of which the following is a specification;

My invention relates to that class of adm vertisement displaying mechanisms wherein a plurality or series of display elements, such as flexible sheets, are wound upon a drum or carrier and are released one by one so as to drop into view position in a suitable I 15 exhibition space; and my improvements are h directed particularly to means whereby the carrier shall be moved step bystep as the sheets are released; and to means whereby the dropping` ofthe sheets may be 'acceler- 20 ated; and also to means whereby .the fronts and baclrs of the several sheets may be used for exhibition purposes, such as the display of advertisements and the like; all of which, or together withvarious. details of adjustment s" and construction, I will now proceed to explain, referring in so doing to the drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 3, looking to the left; Fig. 2 is a similar view taken on 30 the line 2--2 of Fig. 3, looking to the right, a portion of the framework near the bottom being broken away to show the construction more clearly; Fig. 3 is a rear elevation with the back of the case removed; Fig. 4 is a r front elevation showing the arrangement of the advertisements; Fig. 5 is'an end view of the placard roller, sheet release roller and adjacent parts; Fig. 6 is a top view of the sheet release roller and a series of sheet 0 ends; Figs. 7 and 8 are, respectively, side elevation and plan views of the drum turning and holding pawls; Fig. 9 is a detailed part of the sheet releasing mechanism and Fig. 10 is a plan view of the end of the blower pipe; Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 are on a much enlarged scale as compared with vthe other figures.

The same parts are designated by corresponding reference numerals in all the fig- The apparatus is preferably mounted in a suitable casing or box 2, provided with supporting bars as 3, 4, carrying plates 5, 6,'in which arejournalled the ends of the shaft 7, which carries the placard drum 8, upon which the series of placards 9, 99, are wound.

An electric motor 10 is mounted in the apparatus-as by being attached, through intermediate means such as a hanger l1, to the support 3, the motor being preferably adliustaloly secured to the hanger, as by a clamping screw 12, so as to allow for'its adjustment in aligning its shaft 13, which is preferably flexible and drives a shaft 14 carrying a blower fan 15, which impels a current of air up through a preferably fleXiv ble conduit 16 and discharges the airthrough ports 17 17 Vat points on sheet releasing roller.

either side `of a i An electric motor is preferably placed in al circuit including a variable'resistance27.

The shaft 14 carries av worm 18`which gears .with the worm gear 19, carried on a shaft 2O journalled in an extension of the carrying plate 5. The shaft 2O is provided witha head 21, a collar 22 and a fixed cam 23. Upon this cam 23 is mounted a retracting pawl arm 24; a detent pawl arm 25fis also mounted on the shaft 2 A spring washer 26, or a similar take-up element, is interposed between the head 21V and the hub of vthe .pawl arm 25, andthel collar'22 is pressedvrmly against the pawl arm 24, so that the rotation of the shaft'20 willtend to-swing the pawl arms bodily around with it, but this will be prevented by the slipping of the shaft within the hubs of the arms. This` frictional arrangement serves, when the shaft is rotated anti-clock wise, to hold the ends of the pawl arms nor@ mally in `engagement Awith the teeth of a Vwheel 30, which is fixed upon the shaft 7, the.

rotation of the cam 23 serving to push foriward and retract the arm 24 once with each revolution of the shaftl 2 0, thereby moving the wheel 3() one step clockwise, with each revolution of the shaft `2O, the arm 25 yield7 ing to allow eachvtooth to pass it and then acting as a detent pawl.V

Upon the shaft 7 is fixed a worm gear 31 meshing with a Vworin 32 on a shaft 33,

mounted in bearings in a bracket 34, carried' pivot 35 and locked in a preferred position.

The end of the shaft 7 passes through the plate 36', which is adjustablysecured to the standard 5 by means of set screws 39 and 40,

the set screw 40 passing tlarough'a` curved slot in the plate 36, and the head of the set.

screw 39engaging over the curved end of theniplate 36.; so that the plate36 can be swung on the shaft 7 as a pivot, to permit desiredadjustment. l l

Qn the shaft 33 is mounted a worm 44 which meshes with a worm gear 45. mounted onfa shaft 46 one end of which shaft .is journalled in one Iof a series of sockets 47, 47, in a block 43A slidably secured to the bracket 34 by means of a set screw 49l passing .through a slot in they bracket.` 'The other end of the sha-.ft 461s provided with a socket in which is inserted ythe pivot pin 53, carried by an arm 54pivoted by a bolt 55 toa bracket 56 throughl which the end of thesha-ft 7 passes, the bracket. 56 being adjustably locked to the standard 6 by means of a set screw 57 passing through af K the drum when the preceding placard has curved slot in the bracket 56.

Ak coiled springS normallytends to draw the arm 54 forward toward drum V9.

On the Shaft is mountedfaroller 60,.

provided Awith two relatively, transversely disposed ellipticalportions 61, 62, the. outer ends of which each represent an arc of sub-x stantially 90 degrees Off a circle. l

In the ends of the placard 9 are 'formed notches or recesses 65, 66; the recesses alter nating in the sheets and forming a stag` gered row; one row, as 65, registering be neath the portion 61 of the roller 6D, and the other series 66 yregisterilng.; Vbeneath the portionf62` of the roller 6(1), sothat, as the overlapped ends of the rolled placards travel underthe roller-'60,. es the drinn and roller revolve, the endsof the placards will be alternately releasedby the opposite ends ofthe roller. v

To the standards 5 .and 6V respectively are secured arms V7 O andi' 1, through whichlpass the shaft 7 the arms. being securedto the standardsby means of set'screws.72,72 and 73, 73, passing through curved `slots in-the standards, so thatv the-arms may be swung positions.

VThe freeendsofthe arms are slotted, and

.up and down and fastenedin theirdesir'ed y by suitable set screws 74 and. .75 passing;

. between the arms'.

throug'lrthe slots a vcrossfba-r 76.i$ Secured This. cross. bar supports the flexible conduit 16, into the upper'end ing i here also reversed.

means, such as springs 77, 77 for keeping the placards snugly rolled aroundthe drum. i In thevtopof'the' casing 2, above the placard drum, is a ln'irrow 80, which is set at such an angle that an image from the top ofthe roller will be projected' by the mirror in the direction ofthe normal position of'an yobser'verstanding or sitting beforethe casing.

` Another mirror 81 is placed near the bottom of the casing at such an angle that. im image from the underside of the placard drum will be reflected from that mirror in.

the direction yof an observer standing or sitting before the Casin Side mirrors 83 and84 arek calso, preferably, mountedin the casing. l f v i'The placards are designed'l to. giveA the greatestprominence towhatis'shown upon their faces, which appear at the back'of' the cabinet when the placards are `released and allowed to drop down, 'as indicatedby .the broken lines in Fig. .2, and by 90 in Fig. 4, However, lthe backs of theplacards may `also be utilized, as I have illustrated in Fig-,4. Thusnpon that portion. of the back of each` placard which is normally on the front of been released,A suitable matter may be dis? played, `as is Yindicatedfat 91, and this willV versed letters are indicated at 92 in Fig.` 4,r while 'their corrected reflections appear in the mirror 8O above.

Similarly, that part of the placard which is below the drum may also be nSedaS ndisplay Space, the lettering, if employed,

The relectloll of the display, from this ,portion of ythe placard will be seen in the mirror 8l at lthe bottom; of the casing. The positonof theps of a series of reversed letters is indicat at 93 in Fig. 4.

'By this arrangement it is possible to use not only the greater part ofthe face of each placard for publicity purposes, but also 'to use a substantially equal amount of the "space kon the back of each placard,y thereby Substantially doubling. the amount of space which can be used for publicity pure poses on any given number of placards, for

it is obvious that if both sides of the sheet are used, the efficiency of the appara-tus is increased to the extent of such double use.

TNhen the reflection from'the placard atv the back of the apparatus is viewed from an angle at one side of the apparatus, the observer will obtain a view of a series of reflections and counterreiiections thrown back and' forth between the mirrors, some, of course, showing the placard matter reversed and others in its correct form. rIhis is calculated to attract the attention of passersby and to lead to their further observation of the matter displayed by the apparatus.

The operation of my apparatus is as follows.

A suitable series of placards having been mounted and wound on the drum, the bar 76 is adjusted so that its spring arms 77',y 77 press properly against the rolled placards. The neck v06 of the air duct is adjusted to discharge the current of air againstthe ends of thefsheets at each side ofthe roller 60. The positionof the shaft 46 is adjusted so that the portions 61 and 62 of the roller 60 will alternately engage the ends of the placards 9, a sheet' holding elliptical portion 61 pressing on the sheet back Vof the notch be` neath it, so as to hold that sheet fast when the top sheet is released by the elliptical portion 62, and' vice versa, the adjustment of the roller being facilitated because of the flexible support afforded by the arm 54, by swinging which the endV of the shaft 46 may be released to permit adjustment of its other end.

Proper adjustments having been made, the motor 10 is put in motion, revolving the fan 15, and also through the worm 18, gear 19, shaft 2O and its attachments, actuating the pawl arm 24, so as to 'move the wheel SO'onel tooth with each revolution of the shaft 20, the reverse movement of the wheel being prevented by the pawl 25. The wheel turns the shaft 7 And if the placards carried by the drum correspond in number with the teeth on the wheel 30, it is obvious that one placard may be released, as I will explain, for each -Jtooth of the wheel 30 which passes a given point. The turning of the shaft 7 rotates the wheel 30, which, through worms 32 and 44 and worm gear 45, turns the shaft 46 and rotates the roller 60, the

various elements in the chain of transmis-` sion being so proportioned that the roller 62 makes a quarter turn foreach tooth of the wheel 30 which passes a given point. I-Ience, when the pawl arm 24 turns the wheel 30 one tooth space, the grip of the roller upon the placards is changed from one end to the other of the roller, the top placard being released by one end of the roller while the next one is held by the other end ofthe roller, the notching of the ends of the placards giving the roller endsV double space, instead of single space, holds against the placards. Y

lVhen comparativelyV thin placards are wound closely upon a drum they may not always free themselves and drop forward when their ends are released, as quickly as is desirable, but any tendency to hang back in this way is overcome by the current Vof air from the blower 15, which is dischargedv against the ends ofthe placards and which atuonce blows the end of the placard'forward and free 'as soon as it is released by the rollery v60.

While the arm 44 is being thrust forward again by the shaft 2O and its cam, the placard drum and its attachments will remain at rest, so that the placardannouncements may be examined by any observer.

By this it will bepunderstood that the formV of apparatus which I have illustrated as embodying my invention is to be regarded as a typical structure only, for details of structure and arrangement can be modified by the use of mechanical equivalents and the like without departing from the spirit of my invention and the scope of the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In a display apparatus, the combina` for adjusting the roll keepers circumferentially of the carrier. 3. In a display apparatus, the combination of a rotatable placard carrier, a series of flexible placards, having free ends ofy the normal thickness of the placards rolled around the carrier, roll keepers and means for adjusting the roll keepers radially and circumferentially of the carrier.

4; In a display apparatus, the combination of a rotatable placard carrier, a series of flexible placards, having free ends of the normalthickness ofthe placards each attached by one end to and wound around the carrier, and rotatable means for releasing the `free ends of the placards successively.

5. In a display apparatus, the combina` tion of a rotatable placard carrier, a series of liexible placards, having free ends of the normal thickness ofthe placards each attached by one end to and wound around Cil the carrier, carrier rotating means, and rotatable means vfor releasing thefree ends of the placards successively f 6. In a display apparatus, the combination et a rotatable placardcarrier, .a series of lieXible placards, having free ends of the normal thickness of ther placards each attached by one end to and Wound around the carrier, carrier rotating means, and rotatable means, actuated by the carrier rotilting means, for releasing the ,free ends of thel placards successively.

l7. In a displayapparatus, the combination of a rotatably placard carrier, flexible placards rolled on 4thecarrier and provided with yindentations in their l:tree ends lateral.- ly staggered in successive placards, carrier rotating means, and rotatable means, actuated byk the carrier rotating means, regis tering alternately overv anindenture or againsta placard end,flor releasing, the free ends of the placards one by; one. n

S. In a display apparatus, the combination of a rotatable placard` carrier,'flexible placards rolled on the carrier and provided with notches in their treeiends laterally staggered in successive placards, and rotatable means having a plurality of sheet holdii'ig elements arranged in staggered relation around said rotatabley means, said sheet holdingk elements registering withy said notches. l

9, In a display apparatus, the combination of a rotatable placard carrier, flexible placards rolled on .the carrier and provided i with notches in their freeJ ends laterally staggered in successive placards, carrier rotating means, and rotatablemeana actuated by the carrier. rotating means, having a plurality ofV sheet holding elements arranged instaggered relation around said Vrotatable means, said sheet holding elements registering with said notches. i A

l0. In a display apparatus,.the combination of a rotatable placard carrier, flexible placards. rolled on the carrier and provided With ynotches in their free ends laterally staggered in successive placards, and roy-- tatable means embodying a plurality. of alternatingfoperating sheet holdingl elements arranged in staggered relation around said rotatable means, said sheet holding elements registering with said notches.

'11. Inra display'apparatus, the combina# tion` of a rotatable placard carrier, flexible placards rolled on the carrier and provided withA notches in their free ends laterally staggered insuccessive placards, and rotatable means embodying a plurality of elongated and relatively transversely disposed sheet holding elements arranged in staggered relation around said rotatable means, said sheet holding elements registering With said notches.

l2. In a display apparatus, the combinationy of a rotatable placardcarrier, a series of flexible placards each securedthereto by one end and rolled thereon, and having a free-end ol. the normal thickness of lthe placard rotatable means for releasing'lree ends et the placards one by one, and means fer adjustingsaid releasing means, 'radially of the-'placardcarrier. -v

13.In'a display apparatus, the eombinm tion.. of a rotatable placard carrier, a series ovlE flexible placards each secured thereto by one end and rolled thereon, and having a `tree end of the normal thickness ot the placard rota-table means for releasing free endsof tlreplaeards one byfone, and means l'or adjusting said releasing means circum-` iferentially of the, placard carrier.

la. In a display apparatus, the combination ot a rotatable placard carrier, a series of flexible placards each secured theret-oby onel end and rolled thereon, and havingv a tree end of the normal thickness of the placard rotatablefmeans lor releasing tree endsof the, placards one by one, and means for adjusting said releasing means radially and Vcircuinferentially offthe placard carrier.

l5. 'In v-a display apparatus, the combinationof a rotatable placard carrier, a series of `flexible placards rolledthereoinan'd each having a tree end of the normal thickness of the placard carrier rotating means, rotatable means fory releasing tree ends of the placards one by one, transmission means, actuated by the carrier rotating means, for rotating the releasingineans, and means tor optionally causing relative adjustment of the actuating means and the transmission means. i Y

16. In a display apparatus, the combination ofarotatable placard carrier, aser-ies` ovleXible placards rolled thereon, and each having a free end ofthe normal thickness-,of

theplacard carrier rotating means, rotatable means` for releasing free ends ,o'f the placards one by one, transmission means, actuated by the carrier rotating means, 'for rotating the releasing means, and means for optionally causing relative adjustment of the actuating means and the transmission means cireumferentially of the placard carrier. t

17. In a display apparatus, the combination of a rotatable placard carri-er, ,a series olf-flexible placards rolled thereon, and each having a rfree end of the normal thickness of the placard carrier rotating means, rotatable means for releasing `:tree ends ot the placards one by one, transmission means, actuated by the carrier rotating means, for rotating the releasing means, and means for optionally causing relative adjustment 'of the actuating means andr the transmission means radially of the placard carrier. f

Y 18. In a display apparatus, the combination of a rotatable placard carrier, a. series of flexible placards rolled thereon, and each having a free end of the normal thickness of the placard carrier rotating means, rotatable means for releasing free ends of the placards one by one, transmission means, actuated by the carrier rotating means, for rotating the releasing means, and means for optionally causing relative adjustment of theactuating means and the transmission means ciicumferentially and radially of the placard carrier.

19. In a display apparatus, the combination of a rotatable placard carrier, a series of flexible placards rolled thereon, cari'ier rotating means, rotatable means for releasing free ends of the placards one by one, transmission means, actuated by the carrier rotating means, for rotating the releasing means, and means, embodying` a Worm and a relatively shiftable Worm gear, for optionally causing relative adjustment of the actuating means and the transmission means.

20. In a display apparatus, the combination of a rotatable placard carrier, a series of flexible placards rolled thereon, carrier rotating means, rotatable means for releasing free ends of the placardsone by one,

transmission means, actuated by the carrier rotating means, for rotating the releasing means, and means, embodying Worms and relatively shiftable Wormgears, for optionally causing relative adjustment of the actuating means and the transmission means.

21. In a display apparatus, the combination, with a rotatable placard carrier, of

means for rotating the carrier step by step,y

embodying a ratchet Wheel, a rotating shaft provided with an eccentric cam, a. retractable and projectable paWl arm carried by said cam, a detent paWl mountedon said shaft, and fiictional, coordinating means.

22. In step by step actuating means, the combination of a rotatable shaft provided with an eccentric cam, a retractable and projectable arm mounted on the cam, a detent arm mounted on the shaft, and means for frictionally coordinating the relative movements of the shaft and arms.

23. In step by step actuating means, the combination of a rotatable shaft provided with an eccentric cam, a retractable and projectable arm mounted on the cam, a detent arm mounted on the shaft, and means embracing a spring Washer for frictionally coordinating the relative movements of the shaft and arms.

24. In step by step actuating means, the combination of rotatable means, projectable and retractable means carried and actuated thereby, detent means carried bythe rotatable means, and means for producing frictional correlation between the shaft and arms.

' 25. In a display apparatus, the combination of a rotatable placard carrier provided With a series of flexible` placards 4each attached thereto by one end and rolledthereupon, rotatable means for releasing the free ends of the placards one by; one, means for definitely separating each freed end from,

placard-carrier step byfstep, and common means for actuating the said carrier ,rotat-A ing means, releasing means and separating means. l

26. In ak display apparatus, the combination of a rotatable placard carrier provided With a series of flexible placards each attached thereto by one end and rolled thereupon, rotatable means for releasing the free ends of the placards one by one, means for definitely separating each freed end from theV roll as released, means for rotating the placard carrier stepv by step, and common means, embodying an electric motor, for actuating the said carrier rotating means, re'- leasing means and sepa-rating means.

27. In a display apparatusjthe 'combination, in a casing, of a rotatable placard carrier, a flexible placard carried thereby and provided with direct display matter upon one side and with reversed matter and direct display matter upon its other side, and

28. In a display apparatus, the combina-V tion, of a rotatable placardcarrier, a flexible placard carried thereby and provided with direct display matter upon one side, and upon its other side with reversed matter `at tWo points separated by direct display matter, and reflecting means for rectifying and displaying such reversed matter.

29. In a display apparatus, the combination, of a rotatable placard carrier, a roll of flexible placards carried thereby, each placard being provided With direct display` matter upon its face, and upon its back with direct display'matter and With a plurality of sections of reversed matter, means for displaying the face of one placard in plane, and simultaneously displaying the direct matter upon the back of the succeeding 30. In a display apparatus, the combinaI l placard directly and in a plurality of reflected series, and means for simultaneously displaying partei the back of another placard directly and another part indirectly by reflection. f

32.- In a display apparatus, the combina-v tion of placard holding means, placards provided with display matter upon both sides,`

means for displaying the face of one placard directly and in a plurality of reflected series, and means for simultaneously displaying part of the back of another placard directly and other parts indirectly by relection.

LESLIE R. MCDONALD. 

